South Pointe was tested. Would the Stallions’ 5-year region win streak survive?
A nervous pall loomed over District Three South Stadium headed into Friday night’s fourth quarter of the South Pointe-Westwood game. The Stallions, winners of four straight state titles, had also won 25 straight region games, a streak that stretched back to 2013.
That streak was in danger.
Westwood, with a collection of exceptional athletes and equally large mojos, had shown it was ready to challenge the Stallions’ league dominance. The Redhawks led 21-20 when the game swung in the final period. South Pointe scored twice in two minutes to suddenly seize control of the game on the way to a 32-21 victory, ensuring the region-win streak didn’t die Sept. 28, 2018.
“Fourth quarter, we really stepped it up,” said linebacker Savion White. “Our coaches really put into our head that it’s all in our heart.”
South Pointe (5-1, 1-0 Region 3-4A) scored 54 seconds into the game. A long Raseac Myles kick return set up a 22-yard Joe Ervin touchdown sprint. The Stallions scored 13 points off their first six plays. After Jaylen Mahoney blocked a 24-yard Westwood field goal, the Stallions quickly scored again, Tahleek Steele lobbing a 48-yard TD pass to Isaac Ross.
What looked like a potential Stallions blowout quickly shifted back in Westwood’s favor. Receiver Cortes Braham made a couple of long catches in the first half, as well as a 7-yard TD grab to make it 13-6. Another long Braham catch set up a 10-yard Dashawn Boyd TD and South Pointe’s lead was cut to 13-12 before the end of the quarter.
Each team scored once more before the half, which ended on a high blood pressure note. Fifteen-yard flags lit up the second quarter air and there was nearly a full-on fracas as the two squads crossed paths headed to their locker rooms.
“It actually motivated us,” said White. “They came in here and tried to disrespect us and our coaches told us to use it, flip that around and use it in the game.”
Westwood (4-1, 0-1) had the ball for nearly six minutes to start the second half, with a 24-yard field and a first lead of the game -- 21-20 -- the result. But the Redhawks never got the score that would have extended their lead. And ultimately, they paid.
“Felt like we had a chance,” said Redhawks coach Dustin Curtis. “Hats off to their defense. Some of the runs that were working the first three quarters just kind of stopped working. They were beating us to the line of scrimmage in blitz schemes, and we missed a couple of big pass plays in the first half.”
Turning point
South Pointe scored twice in less than two minutes to win the game in the fourth quarter. Trailing 21-20, Steele kept a play alive with a check-down to Ty Good and he beat a couple of tacklers for a 28-yard catch-and-run TD. Then Westwood was forced to punt, the snap was bad and South Pointe got the ball back at the Redhawks’ 23 yard-line. Ervin later scored to put the dagger in the visitors.
Critical
“We’ve got to figure out how to win the close ones if we’re gonna do what we want to do,” said Herron, referring to his team’s attempt to win a fifth straight state title, which no team in South Carolina history has done.
Well, Strait, the Stallions are doing pretty decently in the close ones so far. South Pointe has shown some mettle this past month, edging Greenville in a thrilling finish and pulling away from Westwood in the crucial moments. The Stallions kept their cool -- enough -- in a tense game, while Westwood ended with 11 flags for 100-plus yards and crumbled late in the contest.
Star contributors
Ervin, the Coastal Carolina commitment, was unstoppable... when he was in the game. He took a heavy lick in the second quarter and missed a chunk of the action but later returned. The senior finished with 158 yards and three TDs on 20 carries.
“I just wanted to come back in the second half and do what I can do so we could get a W,” said Ervin.
“Really proud of him for stepping up because I really didn’t think he would come back in,” said Herron.
Jhace Stevenson and Ty Good were quiet most of the game, but Good’s touchdown with 6 minutes, 9 seconds left gave the Stallions the lead back for good. Then Ervin scored his third TD of the night, and Stevenson picked off a Westwood pass as the Redhawks drove late to try and get back into the contest.
“That’s kind of how it happens,” said Herron, “we try to spread it around.”
Westwood’s receivers were handfuls for South Pointe’s secondary, especially Cortes Braham. He finished with eight catches for 169 yards and a TD.
On deck
South Pointe heads down to Lancaster to face the Bruins in both teams’ second Region 3-4A game.
Box score
Westwood;12;6;3;0- 21
South Pointe;13;7;0;12- 32
SCORING SUMMARY
First quarter
SPHS -- Joe Ervin 22 run (Wyatt Grantham kick), 11:06
SPHS -- Isaac Ross 48 pass from Tahleek Steele (kick failed), 7:22
WHS -- Cortes Braham 7 pass from Ahmon Green (2-point run failed), 3:09
WHS -- Dashawn Boyd 10 run (2-point pass failed), 0:12
Second quarter
SPHS -- Ervin 37 run (Grantham kick), 9:16
WHS -- T.J. Blanding 53 punt return (2-point pass failed), 1:40
Third quarter
WHS -- David Strother 24 field goal, 6:32
Fourth quarter
SPHS -- Ty Good 28 pass from Steele (2-point pass failed), 7:21
SPHS -- Ervin 1 run (2-point pass failed), 6:09
TEAM STATISTICS
WHS;SPHS
First downs;21;18
Rushes-yards;30-153;34-202
Passing;16-36-1;13-22-2
Passing yards;320;171
Fumbles-lost;3-0;1-1
Penalties-yards;11-112;6-48
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING Westwood: Dashawn Boyd 14-100, Ahmon Green 9-15, Cam Atkins 1-30, T.J. Blanding 1-1, Jalen Briggman 4-7, Christian Horn 1-0. South Pointe: Joe Ervin 20-158, Marice Whitlock 8-31, Tahleek Steele 4-(-3), Omega Blake 1-14, Quay Chambers 1-2.
PASSING Westwood: Green 16-36-1, 320 yards. South Pointe: Steele 13-22-2, 171 yards.
RECEIVING Westwood: Horn 4-61, Cortes Braham 8-169, Atkins 3-36, Cam Smith 1-54. South Pointe: Isaac Ross 5-92, Whitlock 4-21, Raseac Myles 1-6, Ervin 1-6, Ty Good 1-28.
RECORDS Westwood 4-1, 0-1 Region 3-4A; South Pointe 5-1, 1-0.
This story was originally published September 28, 2018 at 10:27 PM.